1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to a system and method for anti-counterfeiting, authentication and tracking process and more specifically system and method to anti-counterfeiting and goods tracking process between brand owner/manufacturer through supply chain to retailer and ultimately, the consumer. The embodiments also relate to retail analysis method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Counterfeiting and illegal transshipping of goods is an economic and social menace and over the years this has grown into a well-organized criminal activity in most of the countries. Manufacturers and suppliers are increasingly encountering an unauthorized distribution practice known as transshipping. Transshipping is an industry wide problem. Often manufacturer or brand owners want to establish their presence in the new and emerging markets and they sell their products at reduced prices. Products are sometimes sold at a discounted price to government agencies, nonprofit entities, or national accounts serviced by local distributors. Sometimes distributor or an enterprising third party discovers the price discrepancy and sell these discounted products to other territories/regions at higher cost where large profit margin exists. Transshipping destroys manufacturer's potential market and manufacturer losses their credibility. When products are dispersed through unauthorized distribution lines, it becomes difficult for the manufacturer to trace the product. If the product cannot be traced, defending products liability actions is more difficult. So tracking of goods and products becomes very important to prevent transshipping.
Also, increased counterfeiting activities and complex supply chains have compounded the urgency to invent effective method and technology to combat the growing global problem of counterfeiting through better product tracking and management. Every brand today faces serious threat from unauthorized or spurious products' infringement. The onus lies on the brand to protect itself and verify the delivery of the actual quality of goods it is known for to the market and consumer. This task is often unmanageable in the current global business scenario due to complex ordering, shipping, and distribution channels where more often than not, the actual brand has no direct link to the end consumer.
Many attempts have been made to reduce the problem of counterfeiting and illegal transshipping while trying to make product tracking more efficient. Most of the methods involve measures such as alteration to product packaging, the use of special marking inks, holograms, RFID, smart tags and the like; all tactics which may easily be duplicated, do not offer multiple point authentication checks, have low accuracy rates, are cost prohibited, are unable to be easily implemented in existing supply chains, do not offer real time and immediate validation ability, and are not easily readable/recognizable/usable/verifiable by a ordinary means.
Therefore there exists a need for method and system for anti-counterfeiting and goods tracking which is robust, yet simple and unique in distinguishing authentic from counterfeit in the supply chain and market.
In today's competitive industry manufacturers, suppliers and retailers need as much business support as they can get when deciding where to operate, what they should stock, which customers they should fight to retain, and how to communicate with them. Manufacturers and suppliers today want to analyze the enormous amount of retail related data in order to understand the business performance and hence take informed business decisions. Data related to demographic and expenditure variables are ideal anchors for trend analysis. Trend analysis uses historical data to make accurate predictions about future spending-in terms of amounts, categories and brands. Retail analytics optimizes returns and profits in the areas like marketing and sales, operations, logistics, merchandising. Quantitative information helps manufacturers, suppliers and retailers to understand their customer potential and improves marketing, sales and targeting strategies.
Hence there is further need to develop a method for retail analytics that enable today's global manufacturers, suppliers and retailers to make smarter decisions and manage their businesses more effectively.